Rhys Ifans- Actor of the Week

Rhys Ifans is one of those British characters who are rather fun to watch, both in film and in life. I mean here is a man who used to be the lead singer for the Welsh pop group Super Furry Animals, was engaged to Sienna Miller and played Spike the crazy Welsh roommate in Notting Hill.  And now he has the lead role in Anonymous, playing the Earl of Oxford who, and I quote with disdain, "supposedly penned Shakespeare's plays". Whether you buy the premise of the film (and I truly hope that you do not), there is no denying the fact that Rhys Ifans is a talented actor. Weird, but talented!

Rhys Ifans as The Earl of Oxford in Anonymous

He really shows his acting chops in Anonymous. This role will finally help to erase Spike from the minds of film goers everywhere. OK, maybe not totally erase the image of Spike...in his underwear...

Rhys Ifans as the crazy Welsh roommate Spike from Notting Hill

Or perhaps Spike in the wetsuit and scuba mask eating cereal...

Rhys Ifans as Spike from Notting Hill

Shudder...he really is a good actor isn't he? Ewwww......

I also loved him in Pirate Radio (The Boat that Rocked) as Gavin, the "greatest DJ in Britain who has just returned from his drug tour of America to reclaim his rightful position". If they need an eccentric Brit, who do they call?

Rhys Ifans as Gavin from Pirate Radio

But he can also do a straight period drama role such as Dobbin in Vanity Fair...

Rhys Ifans as Dobbin in Vanity Fair

And who does Emma Thompson call when she needs a creepy, slimy uncle with gambling debts for her latest Nanny McPhee?  Why Rhys Ifans, that's who. It's hard to even imagine these are all the same people isn't it? What a chameleon!

Rhys Ifans as nasty Uncle Phil in Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang

And of course for the odd father of the odd Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter?  Yes, for Xenophilius Lovegood he hardly had to act at all!

Rhys Ifans as Xenophilius Lovegood from Harry Potter

So whether or not you like all of the films he has been in (and I am a fan of pretty much all of these films to a greater or lesser degree) you have to admit that this guy can act.  And I hope to see lots more of him in the future. Apparently without Sienna Miller.